Friday, Apr. 16
1:00 p.m. ET – Kennesaw State (5-6, 1-0) at Liberty (6-6, 0-0)
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Notes: KSU

OPENING DRAW
» The Kennesaw State women's lacrosse team heads north for a crucial ASUN matchup against Liberty Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. It will be just the second time in program history the Owls and Flames square off with Liberty taking the first meeting 16-12. The game also marks the first ASUN showdown for Liberty this season. KSU looks to snap its current three-game skid, dropping the last three games by a combined four goals.

» Siena Gore only saw action in the first half against Furman, netting a season-low two goals. Despite that, she still ranks second in the NCAA for both total goals (56) and goals per game (5.60). Gore has recorded six or more goals in four of the last five games, tying her career-high, and the KSU single-game record she previously set, with nine goals against Wofford and Mercer. Only two other players in the country have netted at least 50 goals on the year. Gore also leads the country for total free position goals (28) and free position goals per game (2.80) while ranked 17th in the NCAA for draw controls per game (6.70) and 25th for caused turnovers per game (1.90). This year Gore became the first Owl in program history to record over 200 career points while breaking the all-time ASUN record for career goals and draw controls with 222 and 330 respectively. She needs just 13 more points to break the all-time conference record for career points.

» Twin sister Marissa Gore has provided a one-two punch for KSU, recording at least four points in seven of her last nine games. She currently leads the league with 15 assists, recording a career-high five assists against Mercer, one shy of the single-game record. A threat across the field, Gore also ranks second in the league for points (43), draw controls (44) and ground balls (30) and third for goals (28) and caused turnovers (18). She and Siena are the driving force behind KSU's attack as two of four players in the league to net at least 20 goals on the year. The Owls lead the ASUN, and rank 19th in the NCAA, averaging 14.55 goals per game. Five Owls, Siena Gore (1st), Marissa Gore (3rd), Camryn Klaus (8th), Jaxsyn Schonewille (11th) and Natalie Welch (11th), rank among the top-15 for goals scored on the year.

» On the defensive side, the Owls have six players ranked in the league's top-15 for caused turnovers with Siena and Marissa Gore ranked second and third with 19 and 18 caused turnovers respectively. Payton Gregory and Roslyn Talbert round out the top-10 ranked eighth and ninth while Carson Pearson and Julia Weiss are tied for 14th. As a team, KSU ranks 21st in the NCAA averaging 9.82 caused turnovers per game. The Owls have logged 10 or more caused turnovers in six games with its 15 against Mercer falling one shy of the KSU single-game record. In the net, freshman Julia Weiss leads the league and ranks 23rd in the NCAA with 94 saves, averaging 8.55 per game. She has tallied double-digit saves in five games while ranked fourth in the ASUN with 25 ground balls.

WONDER TWIN POWERS
Senior twins Siena and Marissa Gore have buoyed the KSU attack this season and throughout their careers. They rank first and second in the ASUN for total points on the year, leading the Owls with 56 and 28 goals respectively. They are the only two players in the league to record over 40 points on the year with Siena ranked fourth in the country followed by Marissa in 39th.

Siena Gore has netted at least six goals in four of the last five games, breaking the single-game record twice with a career-high nine goals against Wofford and Mercer. Siena is one of three players in the country to record over 50 goals this season, ranked second in the NCAA for goals per game (5.60) and total goals (56). She has now netted over 50 goals in three seasons, the only Owl to score 50+ goals in a year.

She leads the ASUN with 61 points as her and sister Marissa, who ranks second, are the only two players in the conference to tally over 40 points on the year. Siena also ranks in the league's top-5 for draw controls (1st), caused turnovers (2nd), ground balls (2nd) and shooting percentage (2nd).

Not to be overshadowed, Marissa Gore currently leads the ASUN for assists (15) while ranked among the top-5 in the conference for goals (3rd), points (2nd), draw controls (2nd), caused turnovers (3rd) and ground balls (2nd). Marissa has netted at least three goals in seven games, recording four or more points in seven of the last nine games.

The Gores have either broken or are ranked in the top-10 for nearly every category in the KSU career record book.

Siena Gore has broken the single-season record for points, goals and draw controls twice, becoming the only Owl in history to record over 150 goals and 250 draw controls. She recently set the KSU all-time career record for points and is one of four players in ASUN history to earn at least 200 career points ranked second with 246.

Marissa Gore has been another all-around powerhouse for KSU, ranking fifth all-time for career assists (45), third for draw controls (180) and third for caused turnovers (53). She recently became just the eighth player in KSU history to record 100 career points after scoring a career-high six goals against Stetson. Marissa ranks seventh for career points (125) and seventh for career goals (80).

LOCK DOWN D
From the cage to the restraining line, the Owl defense has shined this season. KSU averages 9.82 caused turnovers per game to rank 21st in the NCAA. Six Owls, Siena Gore, Marissa Gore, Carson Pearson, Roslyn Talbert, Payton Gregory and Julia Weiss, all rank among the league's top-15 for total caused turnovers with Siena Gore ranked 25th in the country averaging 1.90 caused turnovers per game.

KSU has recorded over 10 caused turnovers in six games, recording 15 in its recent game against Mercer falling one shy of the single-game record. If maintained, KSU's 9.82 caused turnovers per game average would set a new single-season record marking just the second time in program history KSU has averaged over nine caused turnovers per game.

In the net, freshman Julia Weiss has been a huge asset for KSU totaling 9.4 saves on the year to lead the ASUN and rank 23rd in the NCAA. She averages 8.55 saves per game having logged double-digit saves five times, including a career-high 14 against Winthrop.

Weiss also ranks fourth in the conference with 25 ground balls on the year joining Siena and Marissa Gore as three of the seven players in the ASUN to tally at least 20 ground balls this season.

FREE NINETY NINE
The Owls have made the most of their free position attempts so far this season, converting 58 of their 114 shots. KSU's 50.9 shooting percentage from the arc ranks 22nd in the NCAA with its 58 total goals leading the country.

KSU's stellar production is due in large part to Siena Gore who has scored 28 goals on 41 free position attempts. She, along with sister Marissa, is one of three players in the ASUN to record more than 10 goals from the eight-meter arc, leading the country in both total goals and goals per game (2.80).

Marissa Gore has netted 11 free position goals on the year with Camryn Klaus recording six followed by Natalie Welch with three and Julia Dell'Angelo, Hannah Barth and Abbey Behn with two. Mia MacKenzie, Jaxsyn Schonewille, Jenna Mish and Emily Napierala have also recorded one goal from the hash.

On the flipside, KSU has held opponents to 42 percent from eight meters out, holding teams to 25 goals on 59 free position attempts.

UP NEXT
The Owls stay on the road to finish their home-and-home series with Mercer Saturday (Apr. 24) at 2 p.m.
 

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